But I Believe
by alias4eva07
Summary: Will tragedy bring them together again?
1. Chapter 1

Title: But I Believe  
  
Author: Nicole---sv4ever07---Queenie  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Sydney or Vaughn, they belong to J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot, but I do own Anastasia and any other characters you don't recognize. And if you want to be technical, I don't even own the name Anastasia, that one goes to Jen (LittleSyd) because she gave me this suggestion for a name.  
  
Rating: PG-13 I guess  
  
Spoilers: Through Double Agent I guess (the spy!sex part only) - definitely AU - doesn't follow along with the show  
  
Pairings: Anastasia/Tucker and some more later on - but for the first two or three chapters just them...and of course an obvious couple a few chapters in  
  
Summary: Sydney and Vaughn are divorced with a daughter. When she goes to the prom with her older boyfriend and something tragic happens, will it bring them together once again?  
  
Author's Note: Another story, don't know what I'm getting myself into, but this idea just sort of came to me last night, actually two ideas came to me and I had to push the other one aside.  
  
Please read and review  
  
A special thanks to Vanessa(blondiedays), Chelsea(#47), and Amy(Angy.Paradise) for reading this over for me and assuring me that it was good enough to post  
  
And another thanks again to Vanessa for giving me the title, you're freakin' awesome!!!  
  
And thanks again to Jen(LittleSyd) for beta'ing this for me - You rock!!!  
  
Dedication: This one to goes out to my stalkers and fellow members of the Zack Attack Pack, you all know who you are, and you're the best!!   
  
Song lyrics are in '' these things  
  
Chapter 1  
  
15-year-old Anastasia Elizabeth Vaughn walked into the decorated ballroom on the arm of her 17-year-old boyfriend Tucker Riley.  
  
As a freshman she had been very surprised when Tucker picked her out of the crowd at the Homecoming Dance and asked her out.  
  
Being one of the few freshman invited to the junior prom, she was amazed as she walked in and saw all the lights and decorations.  
  
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Tucker murmured in her ear, and when she nodded, he added, "Just like someone else I know."  
  
She smiled and kissed him. "You don't look so bad yourself," she told him.  
  
A man approached them and asked, "Would you like your picture taken?"  
  
They looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. "No, that's okay, we've had enough pictures taken tonight," they both replied together.  
  
The man nodded and walked away.  
  
They had been telling the truth, between Anastasia's mother, her father, and then Tucker's parents, there had been at least 50 pictures taken of them, and most definitely more.  
  
A slow song started to play. "Dance with me?" Tucker asked her, giving her his hand.  
  
"Gladly," she replied, taking his hand as he lead her out to the dance floor.  
  
The soft melodies of Savage Garden's 'I Knew I Loved You' began to pour from the speakers as Anastasia and Tucker gently swayed to the music.  
  
'Maybe it's intuition  
  
But some things you just don't question  
  
Like in your eyes  
  
I see my future in an instant  
  
And there it goes  
  
I think I've found my best friend  
  
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy  
  
But I believe'  
  
Anastasia's head found Tucker's shoulder, as she relaxed into the song.  
  
She danced there with her boyfriend of 7 months in the most beautiful and romantic setting she had ever seen.  
  
'I knew I loved you before I met you  
  
I think I dreamed you into life  
  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
  
I have been waiting all my life'  
  
"Anastasia?" Tucker asked in her ear, completely lost in the moment.  
  
"Hmm?" she questioned.  
  
"I love you."  
  
'There's just no rhyme or reason  
  
Only this sense of completion  
  
And in your eyes  
  
I see the missing pieces  
  
I'm searching for  
  
I think I've found my best friend  
  
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy  
  
But I believe'  
  
Her head perked up at those three words and she stared into his chocolate brown eyes with her own intense green ones.  
  
"Anastasia?" he asked. "Did you hear me?"  
  
She blinked once and nodded.  
  
'I knew I loved you before I met you  
  
I think I dreamed you into life  
  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
  
I have been waiting all my life'  
  
He stiffened when she informed him that she heard and he didn't hear anything back.  
  
He took his arms from around her and began to back away before he turned around and started to walk towards the door.  
  
"Tucker, wait!" Anastasia screamed to his retreating form.  
  
He turned back around and looked at her. "Why?" he asked, "What do you want?"  
  
'A thousand angels dance around you  
  
I am complete now that I've found you  
  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
  
I think I dreamed you into life  
  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
  
I have been waiting all my life'  
  
"Huh?" he questioned, still standing about ten feet away from her. "What do you want?"  
  
"I love you too," Anastasia told him confidently, waiting for his reaction.  
  
"What did you just say?" he asked her, tentatively starting back towards her.  
  
"I said I love you too," she said, hoping he would hold her again.  
  
"Really?" he questioned.  
  
"Yes, really," she replied before he reached her and pulled her into a passionate kiss that quickly turned into a full-fledged make-out session.  
  
"God, Anastasia, I love you so much," he told her, the brilliant smile she loved so much returning to his face.  
  
"I love you so much too, Tucker," she said, the smile on her face illuminating her brown hair. "So much."  
  
He took her hand. "Come on, let's go. We'll go out somewhere, meet up with everyone."  
  
"Okay, let's go," she replied.  
  
He lead her out of the ballroom and into the parking lot, looking from side to side for the '63 Mustang he had bought only months before.  
  
"There it is," Anastasia pointed out.  
  
He nodded and they both walked over to it.  
  
Being the gentleman that he was, he opened her door for her and helped her get strapped in.  
  
"Where are we meeting everyone?" she asked.  
  
"Either McDonald's or Denny's," he explained, "But they're both right next to each other so it doesn't matter."  
  
She nodded and he pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
"Can you put on the radio?" Anastasia questioned.  
  
"Sure," he replied, "Hold on a second."  
  
He took his eyes off the road to turn on the radio not even noticing the intersection that was coming up that he was supposed to stop at.  
  
"Tucker!" Anastasia screamed, "Tucker!"  
  
But her screams were not heard as oncoming headlights shined on them and tires screeched, and then everything went black.  
  
TBC...  
  
Please read and review 


	2. Chapter 2

But I Believe  
  
A/N: Thanks to the people who reviewed!!  
  
You guys rock!!  
  
Here's the 2nd chapter as promised.  
  
But yeah thanks to Jen(LittleSyd) for beta'ing this for me, you rock!  
  
Please enjoy  
  
And read and review  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Sydney Vaughn lay in her bed waiting to hear her daughter come in the door from the prom with Tucker.  
  
Tucker was a nice boy, she knew his family and she knew that he treated Anastasia nicely.  
  
She knew Anastasia was really excited and had really been looking forward to going tonight, and Sydney couldn't wait to hear everything.  
  
She certainly wasn't expecting the phone call she was about to receive.  
  
The phone rang and she rolled over and grabbed it.  
  
"Anastasia, is that you?" she asked quickly.  
  
"No, I'm sorry," came the reply. "Is Sydney Vaughn there?"  
  
"This is her," she said, bolting up. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Do you have a daughter named Anastasia?" he questioned.  
  
"Yes I do," she told him. "Did something happen? Is she okay?"  
  
"Mrs. Vaughn, I'm sorry, there was an accident," the man explained.  
  
"Accident? What happened?" she screamed, "Tell me what happened to my daughter!"  
  
"She and her boyfriend didn't stop at an intersection," he replied, "They were hit by an SUV going approximately 60 mph on the passenger side right where your daughter was sitting."  
  
"What else do you know?" she asked hysterically, already springing up and getting dressed.  
  
"She was airlifted along with her boyfriend from the scene and is at Angel of Mercy Hospital," he went on, "And that's all I know, they just asked me to inform you."  
  
"Th-th-thank you," she told him, the tears cascading down her cheeks.  
  
"Would you like me to call your ex-husband and tell him?" he asked.  
  
"No that's okay," she replied. "I will." And then she hung up, throwing the phone across the room to collide with the wall and she fell sobbing onto her bed.  
  
Then she remembered she had to call Michael. 'Come on Syd,' she told herself. 'This is no time to break down. Call Michael and get your ass to the hospital with your daughter.'  
  
She picked the phone back up and dialed her ex-husband's number.  
  
'Come on Michael,' she thought. 'Be home, please, please, please answer the phone.' "Hello?" came his sleep-filled voice.  
  
"Michael?" she asked.  
  
"Syd? Is that you?" he questioned. "Do you have any clue what time it is?"  
  
Only one word came out: "Anastasia."  
  
"What about Ana? She's off having fun with Tucker," and then he realized her voice was filled with tears. "Syd, why are you crying?"  
  
"Accident," she replied.  
  
"Syd, what are you trying to tell me?" he asked.  
  
"Anastasia - she's been in a car accident," Sydney managed to choke out before she burst into tears.  
  
"Oh s***, Syd," he mumbled as the tears began to escape his eyes too. "How bad is it?"  
  
"I don't know, all I know is that she was airlifted from the scene and so was Tucker," she explained.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked.  
  
"Angel of Mercy," Sydney said.  
  
"I'll be there in ten minutes to get you," he replied, "We'll go up together."  
  
"But it takes a half hour to get here," she argued.  
  
"I'll be there in TEN MINUTES," he told her, "My daughter's in the hospital, no one is stopping me."  
  
She nodded, "I'll be ready."  
  
"She'll be fine Syd," he replied, trying to convince himself too.  
  
"I hope you're right," and she hung up to collect some of the things she would need.  
  
TBC...  
  
Please read and review 


	3. Chapter 3

Sydney sat and fidgeted in the living room, the bags in her hands full of spare clothes and some things she'd grabbed from Anastasia's room, as she waited for Michael to arrive.  
  
She looked at her watch: 7 minutes, the longest 7 minutes of her life and she still had 3 more to go.  
  
It amazed her how close she and Michael still were even after the divorce.  
  
They had gotten married about a year after SD-6 was taken down and 2 months later Sydney found out that she was pregnant with Anastasia.  
  
9 months being pregnant had done nothing to damper her spirits at being newlywed and expecting a child.  
  
She had handed in her resignation to the CIA as soon as Anastasia was born, hoping to one day become a teacher.  
  
Her wish became reality when Anastasia started kindergarten, she took an open position for a literature professor at UCLA.  
  
It was her dream job, and even though she thought her life was perfect, that was really the beginning of the end.  
  
When Anastasia was six years old, Michael's mother died. They all flew out to France for her funeral, it was one of the worst things that ever happened to them.  
  
Sydney had never dreamed that his mother's death could have affected Michael so much. When they had come back from France, he had grown distant, only talking to Ana and her when he was forced to, barely making eye contact with anyone.  
  
He had made it a habit to sleep on the couch whenever possible, staying out until the wee hours of the morning at bars drinking.  
  
On more than one occasion he had come home so drunk that he had passed out in the entryway, knocking over endtables and knocking pictures off the walls.  
  
She had gotten used to it, so whenever she heard things smashing she didn't pay any attention. But at the age of 6 you're very inquisitive, and each morning Anastasia would ask why everything was broken, only to be met by silence.  
  
Finally after one very brutal morning where he knocked over the tv and smashed it, Sydney decided to do something about it. That night she confronted him, and the true battle began.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"Michael you have to stop this," she told him. "You're ignoring me, you're ignoring Ana. It's just not healthy."  
  
"Do you think I give a damn if I'm ignoring you?" he screamed at her. "Because guess what? I don't!"  
  
The tears sprung to her eyes. "You mother died 6 months ago Michael, 6 months," she said. "And for 6 months you've ignored Ana and I. You've probably slept in our bed four nights in the last six months."  
  
"Don't bring her into this," he hissed at her. "Her death has nothing to do with my behavior."  
  
"It has everything to do with your behavior," she replied. "You're acting irrational, immature, and irresponsible."  
  
"If you have a problem with my behavior then you can just leave!" he exclaimed, "You know where the door is."  
  
"Can't we just work this out?" she pleaded.  
  
"Just get out of my way," he said, "I'm going out."  
  
"What to get drunk?" she asked, "Never mind, we'll just leave."  
  
She turned on her heel and marched up the stairs, packing some of her things in one suticase and some of Anastasia's in another.  
  
Waking a sleeping Ana and grabbing her car keys, she walked out the door, slamming it behind her, never to return again. Then she drove off, heading towards Will's apartment.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
A few days later, they mutually filed for a divorce, but not without trying to work it out first.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"All I'm asking of you is that you stop drinking," she told him. "That's all I want."  
  
"I'm not sure I can do that Syd," he said.  
  
"Then it's over," she replied before walking out to go file for a divorce.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
Three months after they had filed for the divorce, it became final and they were free once again. But it seemed as if now that they were free, they didn't want to be free anymore.  
  
Their friends set them up on blind dates, and that's all they were, no one was called back for a second date. Sydney and Michael liked it that way, because deep down they knew that they would be back together someday.  
  
Sydney was pulled out of her thoughts by the ringing of the doorbell, instantly she knew who it was.  
  
Walking to the door, she mumbled to herself, "But whoever thought this tragedy would be what brought us back together again?"  
  
The minute the door was open, Michael wrapped his arms around Sydney, both relaxing in the embrace of the other.  
  
The comfort they felt in each other's arms was unbelievable, but good nonetheless.  
  
"She'll be okay Syd," he whispered in her ear. "I promise you that."  
  
"I wish you could be sure Michael," she replied. "Just please don't give me any false hope until we know what's wrong."  
  
"Okay I can do that," he explained.  
  
"Good," she said. "Now come on let's go see our daughter."  
  
He grabbed her outstretched hand and agreed, and together they walked hand-in-hand to the car, which soon sped off towards the hospital.  
  
**************************  
  
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